KANYE RESPONDS TO RUMORS

This week, the NY Post reported that Kanye threw a fit at LAX Monday night on his way back to New York from the Grammys after he and his assistant were seated in business class instead of first.

"He wanted to be bumped up," says our witness. West and his aide were eventually moved to the better seats. And to that Kanye has responded:



I feel bad that people believe this kind of stuff or any random rumor that is taken as fact because ‘it’s on the internet.’ This rumor is particularly ironic because I was actually happy with a business class seat and was offered a seat in first class. A friend of mine was sitting in coach so asked if they could bump him up to business instead of putting me in first. There was absolutely no altercation in any way. There’s been many a time where I’ve given someone in coach my business or first class seat in order to sit next to a friend I bumped into. I really could care less about where I sit on the plane. It’s hard to deal with the rumors sometimes. As a good person with a warm heart, it does bother me. I’m not bigger than feeling pain, embarrassment, stress and worry. Have you ever been lied on??? How does it make you feel??? You wanna tell everybody it’s not true right? Thank you to all my fans who still love and support me even though it’s not the trend right now! I’m sleeping in the studio and I won’t let you guys down!

KANYE, USHER & OTHERS UNITE

Music's brightest stars were back in a familiar "World" on Monday - recording a new version of the song that raised more than $30 million for African hunger-relief programs 25 years ago.

"We Are the World," which was responsible for getting such '80s icons as Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Lionel Richie and Cindy Lauper under one roof, is being updated to benefit the victims of last month's devastating earthquake in Haiti.

NY Daily News reports that a day after Sunday's Grammys in L.A., some of today's biggest names - and a smattering of familiar old faces - were part of an all-star choir that gathered in the same Hollywood studio where the original was performed in 1985 under the direction of Quincy Jones.

Joining Jones, who was back again as producer, and Richie (who co-wrote the song with Jackson) was singer Wyclef Jean, a native of Haiti who has been at the forefront of earthquake relief efforts.

"When I got in the music business, my whole life changed," Jean told the group, according to EW.com. "Today, it represents what the whole mission was for me.

"What's bigger than a contribution is the fact that you lent your voice," he added. "The fact that you lent your voice means that we are going into the 21st century Haiti, and I promise you we are not going backwards."

While nearly 50 artists collaborated on the original, Monday's recording session attracted more than 80 singers representing several genres and generations of music, according to cnn.com.

Huddled in the same crowded studio were such stalwarts as Tony Bennett and Barbra Streisand alongside fresh faces like 15-year-old singer Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus.

The cross-section of artists also included Jennifer Hudson, Jamie Foxx, Pink, Celine Dion, Usher, Will.i.am, Enrique Iglesias, Kanye West, The Jonas Brothers and Robin Thicke, CNN.com reports.

The video of the new "We Are the World" recording session, directed by Paul Haggis ("Crash"), will premiere on Feb. 12 on NBC during the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada.